Who doesn’t love a picnic outdoors if the weather permits? Visiting parks in Australia is a favorite pastime for people living here.To ensure that everyone in the park is enjoying themselves and that you are not interrupting their fun, do some things when using your local park. It is important to take care of the principles and manners
Key Points
- Most public gardens, apart from large spaces such as the Botanic Gardens, fall under the responsibility of city councils only.
- Conditions usually apply to carrying out commercial activities in parks, often requiring council approval, and paying a fee.
- Consideration for the needs of other visitors and the community is a fundamental principle defining park etiquette
Australians love their public gardens. Across the country Over 50,000 gardens are present
These gardens serve a variety of purposes, including dog walking, relaxation, exercise, social gatherings, picnics, barbecues and hosting small parties.
Sammy Dobinson is a mother of two children and What’s new in Melbourne? is the co-director of a free outing recommendation website for kids and families. She mostly walks in the gardens of her city.
“People want to go somewhere green for recreation and tourism and not necessarily every time their pocket allows it,” she says.
“And often, when you move to a new neighborhood, parks are the first place you can meet the local community and learn more about the area.
According to Joel Johnson, manager of greening and leisure at the City of Sydney Council, there are 400 public gardens in Sydney alone, ranging in size from very small parks and nature reserves in suburban areas to heritage-listed gardens.
“We have shared responsibility for some parks and open spaces, so for example some areas are managed by the State Government or the Trust.
“But the vast majority of our parks and open spaces are managed by the city owner or Crown Reserve Manager, or as a Trust Manager.
While some important regulations, such as no camping and vehicle entry, apply to most city parks, it’s important to note that each local government area has its own rules and regulations.
“Each local government area may have different issues or facilities or things. So, it’s important to check with your local council,” says Mr Johnson.
Sometimes, different regulations apply to parks within the same local government area.
“Of our 400 parks There are only about 50 of them where you can let your dog off-leash, but we’ve included our big parks. Off the leash Designated, that means more than 50 percent of our park area is accessible to off-leash dogs.”
Even at off-leash parks, it’s important to keep your dog on a leash when near the playground, Ms. Dobinson explains.
“One thing I’ve seen sometimes is that people will bring their dogs to the playground and some kids are afraid or nervous of the dogs and the animal can be uncomfortable… So, it’s just all the time. Something to watch out for.”
When it comes to park and playground etiquette, many aspects are just common sense, says Ms Dobinson.
Take your litter back with you if possible, or find a litter box to use, clean up before returning home, ensure children are playing on appropriately sized play equipment. Sending older kids down the slide with younger kids, it can be a bit dangerous.”
When you choose a local park to host your child’s birthday party, you are expected to be considerate of other people there.
“You just need to be careful about the noise, make sure you’re not taking the biggest boom box you have, and keep things under control in terms of kids running around. Keep and take all the streamers and party supplies you brought for decorations back home.
Do I need a permit for an organized program/activity in the park?
For events involving large crowds, such as weddings and year-end parties, bookings or permits may be required. The same applies to commercial activities, says Sydney-based Mr Johnson.
Events that usually require approval are those that will affect the general activity of the park or large concerts or commercial activities such as if you are selling something on a large scale.
Joel Johnson
Professional trainers running fitness or wellness classes in parks may also be required to obtain approval from the city council and in some cases pay a fee.
Scott Hunt is the founder and CEO of Fitness Enhancement, a personal training business specializing in outdoor fitness training sessions in three states.
He explains that in the city of Brisbane Permit system How it works:
“If you’re training less than 10 people at a time, you need a permit, but it’s free. And then if you have a group of more than 10 people, like a boot camp, a permit is required to be paid for.
The Council’s primary reason for regulating commercial activities within parks is also to maintain public health and safety standards.
“The great thing about them is that you need a permit, it helps them check that the personal trainers are actually qualified and insured that are working in the parks.”
However, these conditions do not apply if a group is gathering to exercise in the park on a recreational basis.
“If you and your teammates, your fit team or your work colleagues are exercising in a park by yourself and it’s a non-profit, there’s no restriction. That’s what our parks are for, that’s what they’re for. So we pay our rates and taxes.
Mr. Hunt emphasizes that park regulations are straightforward for both individuals and business owners. However, in any uncertain situation, a polite and considerate approach is always a wise choice.
What can the council actually crack down on? They only process complaints. If you’re not bothering the community, they don’t bother you.
Just be polite and respectful and realize, hey, it’s not your park, it’s the community’s park and you need to take care of the environment.
Are you using the barbecue area at your local park?
Park etiquette is straightforward, guided by the principles of common sense and courtesy. The unstated rules are as follows:
1 Prioritize safety: If you plan to bring your own portable barbecue, it is important to first confirm if it is permitted in your area.
2 Maintain cleanliness: While councils regularly clean bar BBQ plates, it’s a polite gesture to leave the place cleaner than you found it, in the mind of the next customer.
3 Care should be taken with sharing: A “first-come, first-served” rule generally applies to public spaces, but most parks offer multiple shaded picnic areas and hot plates, ensuring plenty of availability for everyone.